Flying-machine.



Patented June 22, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

wi lmmoeo G. M. ECKENWILER.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I9, I912.

Patented June L2,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w MW MW wi bweoow G. M. ECKENWILEH.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.I9, 1912.

Patented June 22, 1915.

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GEORGE M. ECKENWILER. OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 0F NINE-TWENTIETHS TO ERNEST SINGER, FRED SINGER, ARTHUR CLAYPOOL, JOSEPH ADAMS, ALFRED GRIDER, JOHN BROGDEN, WILLIAM OBRIEN, ALBERT GRIMM, VINCENT PENNELL, AND DALE PENNELL, ALL OF CANTON, OHIO.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19, 1912. Serial No. 715,700.

To all whom, it may roncern Be it known that l, GEORGE M. ECKEN- 'ILER, a citizen of the United States, resid-' ing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful F lying Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in heavier-than-air flying devices operating upon the principle of the aeroplane provided with motor driven propellers.

The objects of the invention are to generally improve devices of the character mentioned and toprovide a flying machine which may be adjusted to accommodate varying atmospheric conditions, air currents and the like, which will be easily and certainly guided-in. the air and which will be, in a high degree, safe and practical.

These objects, together with'other objects, readily apparentto those skilled in the art may be attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, al though the invention may be embodied in other forms,'the construction illustrated being chosen by way of example.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flying machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing parts in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing the planes in their inclined adjustment. Fig. 4 is a View on the line 44 of Fig. 2, showing the planes in theirvertical-horizontal position. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the front rudder. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view 'of the forward portion of the operators platform, including the controlling devices and parts related thereto. Fig. 7 is a perspective View, showing the separate ends of the engine shaft and counter-shaft disconnected from each other. Fig. 8 is an under side view of the forward .or engine portion of the operators platform. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section'alview on the line 9 9 of Fig. 2.

Throughout the several views similar reference numerals indicate similar parts.

More specifically describing the-construction illustrated in said drawings, the numerals 1-1 indicate the two side-frames of the carriage upon which the device is adapted to be moved along when on the ground. Said slde franies are substantially parallel to each other and each is provided at its forward end with a downward and forward extending wheel arm 2 and at its rear end w1th a downward and rearward extending Patented June 22, 19115.

inwardly curved portion 9. The two for ward portions 8 are fixedly connected to the forward hub comprising the spaced collar portions 10 and the stationary sleeve 11 supported by said collars. In a similar manner the rear portions 9 are fixedly connected to the rear hub comprising the spaced collars 12 and the sleeve 13 supported by said collars.

Extending from one sleeve 11 to the other i reference to the carriage and supporting bows.

Four substantially semi-elliptical planes 15 are arranged atfrom each other and rotatably connected at their straight or in ner edgesto. the shaft 14:. ,Each plane 15 along its outer edge is provided with the curved edge frame-member 16 preferably made of some light, strong material adapt I ed to maintain its shape under the strains and stresses to which it is naturally subjected in the operation of the device. The body of each planc is preferably formed of stretched taut from said frame-member 16 to the inner edge of the shaft 14. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 1d are the plane attaching strips 17 provided with the abutting flanges 18 between .each two of which is arcanvas or other light and tough material ranged the inner edge of one of the planes. When said flanges are connected to each other the inner edges of said planes will be tightly held and the tubular plane-attaching sleeve formed by said strips 17 will be freely rotatable about said shaft 14. The framemembers 16 are, of course, firmly connected to the strips 17 adjacent the forward and rear hubs;

Intermediate the forward and rear ends of the planes the body portions of said planes are cut away, as are also the strips 17 and the frame-members 19 formed of suitable strong and tough material, similar to that used for the members 16, are connected to said strips 17 and to the body of each plane so as to support the same about the opening 20, between the front and rear limits of said opening are arranged the propelling and rudder-controlling devices. It will be understood that the strips 17 are cut away between the forward and rear members 19 so that within the opening 20 the shaft 14 is bared and upon said shaft is rotatably mounted the platform supporting bearings 21 and 22 to which are connected the forward platform hanging rod 23 and the rear platform and propeller supporting frame 24. As a part of said frame 24 the rear platform hanging rod 25 extends downwardly the same distance as does the rod 23 and the platform 26 extends between and is connected to said rods 23, and 25, said platform being thus hung pendant below the bared portion of the shaft 14, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. The weight of the engine and operator supported by this platform is, therefore, always suflicient to retain said platform in pendant position with relation to said shaft 14, thus preventing the platform from turning too far with the aeroplane in its movements.

Connecting the forward frame-members 19 is a bracing and locking ring 27 of very considerable diameter, said ring being fixedly connected to the frame members 19 and having its edge disposed adjacent the front edge of the platform. Arranged upon said ring intermediate, the members 19, which are 90 from each other, are holding blocks 28, each of which is arranged just 45"v from the two adjacent frame-members 19. The purpose of these holding block's will hereinafter more fully appear.

It will now be apparent that whereas the carriage,-with the supporting bows 8 and 9, and also the platform 26 are at all times pendant with relation to the shaft 14, the four planes, constituting the main flying surfaces are freely rotatable together in either direction about said shaft 14. Ro-v tatably mounted upon the supporting frame 24 are four propellers 29, 30, 31 and 32, each. having its axis of rotation parallel with the main shaft 14'and arranged at 90 from each other with reference to said shaft 14as a center. The propellers 29 and 30 are arranged in the same upper horizontal plane while the propellers 31 and 32 are arranged in the same lower horizontal plane, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The propellers are preferably driven by belts or chains 33 which are operatively connected to corre sponding pulleys 34 on the counter-shaft 35 rotatably mounted upon the platform 26. The rear portion of the platform 26 upon which said counter-shaft 35 is mounted is fixedly connected to the rod 25. Underneath said rear portion of the platform and extending from the rod 23 to the rod 25 is a platform supporting rod 36, preferably round externally. To said rod 36 the rear portion of the platform is fixedly connected as by means of the clips 37. The forward portion 38 of the platform 26 is connected to the rod 36 by means of the keepers 39 which are rotatably arranged upon said rod 36 so that the portion 38 may be permitted to turn over or tilt upon said ,rod 36. The gasolene or other engine or motor 40 is arranged upon the portion 38 of the platform,

the purpose of tilting of said platform being to drop said engine or motor from the machine in order to lessen the weight thereof in case of accident. To normally prevent the tilting of the portion 38, however, the pin 41, slidably arranged in the barrel 42, fixedly connected to the underside of the rear portion of the platform 26 is provided. Said pin is connected to the lower end of the foot lever 43 which is pivoted at 44 to the rear portion of the platform. A barrel 45, similar to the barrel 42, is connected to the underside of the forward portion 38 of the platform and the pin 41 is adapted to enter said barrel 45 for the purfpose of holding the portion 38 of the plat orm in fixed position with reference to the rear portion of said platform. It will be understood, however, that the operator may, by pressing his-foot downwardly upon the upper end of said lever 43, throw the pin 41 backward, withdrawing it from the barrel 45 and thus permit the forward portion 38 of the platform to tilt or turn upon the rod 36. The engine 40 is provided with a main shaft 46, into the rear end of which is cut a longitudinally disposed notch 47. The forward end of the counter-shaft 35 is provided with a tongue 48 adapted to be arranged in the notch 47, and when the engine 40 is arranged upon the portion 38 of the platform said tongue and notch are brought into engagement so that rotation of the shaft 46 will cause rotation of the shaft 35, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The purpose of this connection is to permit the engine to be readily freed from the counter-shaft when it is desired to drop the engine from the machine. It will be intact?" i i understood that as to the platform of the ma chine there will be more or less movement from side to side and when the forward portion 38 is freed from the rear portion of the platform as heretofore described, the engine will fall from said portion 38 regardless of the'direction of tilting or'rotation of said portion 38 upon the rod 36.

Fixedly connected to the rear portion of the platform 26 are two' uprights 49 to the upper end of which is connected the seat board 50 which extends forward and is. fix edly connected to the forward platform hanging rod-23. At the rear end of the seat board 50 the seatback 51 is preferably arranged, as shown in Fig. 6. It will be noted that said seat board 50 extends above and over the engine 40 so that it will vbe possible for the-operator, seated upon said board to reach the valves or other controlling devices upon the engine as may be desired. FiXedly connected to the board 50 are two, spaced, longitudinally disposed barrels 52 in which are slidably arranged the pins 53.

which project forwardly beyond said-barrels and are adapted to engage the frame-members 19 adjacent the ring 27, as illustrated in Fig. 6, or the holding blocks 28 arranged upon said ring 27 intermediate said framemembers 19. The rear ends of said pins 53 blocks 28 the planes 15 will be held in the' inclined or intermediate position, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. It will be understood that in accordance with atmospheric conditions and changes it may be desired to fly the machine at times with the planes in one position and at other times in the other position mentioned. A. further purpose of the construction described is to permit the rotation of the planes 15 about the main shaft 14 in cases of sudden gusts of wind and the like striking said planes. If

"said planes are held rigidly in one or the other position 'without possibility of change such sudden gusts or uncertain currents of air would have a-tende'ncy to overturn the device, but the platform 26 with its related parts hanging pendant from the shaft 14,

said platform will at all times maintain its proper position regardless of the rotation of the planes 15, and should such planes at any time have a tendency to rotate to an undesired extent the pins 53 may be drawn backward, thus freeing the planes 15 and permitti ng their rotation until such time as .drawn back the friction-pulley 56, rotatably mounted upon the shaft 14 is fixedly con nected 'to the frame-members 19 and the plane attaching strips 17. A friction band 57 extends over said pulley 56 and the lower end of said band is connected to the forward end of the lever 58 which is pivoted at 59 to the rod 23. The rear end of said lever extends backward into position to be readily grasped by the hand of the aviator, and it will be understood that by pushing upward upon the rear end of said lever theband 57 will be brought into frictional engagement with the pulley 56 and the rotation of the planes controlled as desired. For the purpose of laterally guiding the machine in its flight a front rudder is provided and for the purpose of guiding the machine vertically a rear rudder is provided.

Referring now to the front rudder it will be noted that a rudder supporting yoke 60 is fixedly connected to the forward end of the shaft 14 and is vertically disposed and that extending forwardly from the upper and lower ends of said yoke respectively are the upper and lower rudder arms 61 and 62 respectively. The front rudder proper 63 is pivotally connected at the points 64 to the forward-ends of said arms 61 and62. Said rudder proper comprises a vertically disposed relatively thin plane, which may be pivotally swung upon the points 64 by moving the rear edge of said rudder to' one side or the other. Fixedly connected tothe yoke 60 where said yoke is attached to the shaft 11 is the rudder drawing .yoke 65' which comprises two curved. arms extending to the two sides of the rudder proper, each of said curved arms being provided at its ends with a pulley 66. On each side of the rudder proper a rudder-drawing cable 67 is attached to the rear edge of the rudder 63, extends over the pulley 66 and returns to .the shaft l-l intothe interior of which it enters through a lateral opening 68at which point is placed a guiding pulley 69. From said pulley 69 the cable extends rearwardly through the interior of the shaft 14 to a point above the sea t'board 50 where it passes over a second guiding pulley 70 and extends downwardly. lt will be understood that two cables, similarly arranged, are provided for the two sides of the rudder 63. Fixedly connected to the seat board 50 and the fornected the vertically disposed pilot wheel ward hanging rod 23 is a pilot wheel supporting brace 71 to whichis rotatably con- .130

&

72. The cable 67 passes around said pilot wheel in such a manner as to haveoperative connection therewith, as well understood by those skilled in the art, and it will be understood that by rotation of said wheel in one direction the rudder 63 will be moved to oneside, whereas by rotation of the wheel in the other direction the rudder will be moved in the opposite direction. If it is desired to provide means for retaining the pilot wheel in any desired fixed position such means may be provided in any mechanical manner, there being numerous methods of locking such wheels in position, as well known to mechanics.

The rear rudder proper 73 is similarly constructed except that the rear rudder supporting yoke 74 is not provided with arms corresponding to the arms 61 of the yoke 60. The forward edge of the rudder 73 is pivotally connected to the yoke 74 in any mechanical manner and a Vertically disposedrudder-drawing yoke 75 is provided, corresponding in all essential details to the rudder-drawing yoke 65. A cable 76 is connected to the rear edge of the rudder 73, passes over the pulleys 77 at the ends of the yoke 75 and enters the shaft 14 at 78 in a manner similar to the rudder-drawing cable for the front rudder. The cable 76, extends forwardly through the shaft 14 and over the guiding pulleys 79, extends downwardly and is operatively connected to the pilot wheel I to which they are subjected in use. It should 80, constructed and arranged similarly to the wheel 72.

It will now be understood that the aviator, seated upon the board 50 may operate the lateral guiding rudder 63 by rotation of the wheel 72 and may operate the vertical guiding rudder 73 by rotation of the pilot wheel 80. A detailed description of the operation of said rudders in guiding the device is deemed unnecessary as it is believed that same will be obvious to those skilled in the art upon inspection of the drawings in view of the above description.

It should be noted that each of the rudders is provided with brace arms 81 from which extend brace wires 82. The arms 81 are fixedly connected to the frames of said rudders adjacent their pivotal connections and the wires 82 are connected to the free edges of the rudders for the purpose of holding said rudders in proper plane condition when under the strains and stresses be further noted that stay vvires 83 run around the aeroplane structure from one frame-member 16 to another and are connected to said frame-members 16 for the purpose of holding the outer edges of the planes in proper relative position. At the forwardand rear ends of said planes a number of brace rods 84 connect adjacent memconnection is made with the strips 17. These wires, 84, 85, and 86, are preferably arranged substantially in the same planes as the planes 15 and serve to strengthen and stay said planes 15 in an effective manner.

I claim 1. A flying machine comprising an aeroplane structure formed of intersecting planes adapted for movement through the air in the direction of the line of their intersection,

said planes, intermediate their forward and rear ends, having portions cut out of the bodies of said planes adjacent said line of intersection and producing an opening in said planes in the midst of the aeroplane structure, a main shaft extending throughout the length of said aeroplane structure at the line of intersection of said planes, said planes extending to and connected to said shaft to the front and rear of said opening, and propelling means arranged within the said opening and connected to said main shaft, said aeroplane structure adapted for rotation about said shaft and with relation to said propelling means.

2. A flying machine comprising a shaft, an aeroplane structure formed of four substantially semi-elliptical planes arranged at substantially 90 to each other and connected at their inner, straight edges to said shaft, said planes, intermediate their forward and rear ends, and adjacent said shaft provided with cut away portions forming an opening in said planes in the midst of the aeroplane structure, vertical and horizontal rudders at the ends of said shaft and propelling means and rudder controlling means arranged within said opening, said aeroplane structure, comprising said four planes, being rotatable about said shaft and with relation to the remainder of the flying machine.

3. A flying machine comprising .a shaft, an aeroplane structure formed of four planes arranged at substantially 90 to each other and connected at their inner, straight edges to said shaft, four rotatable propellers arranged with their axes at the four corners of a square, the center of which is concentric with said shaft, means for rotating said propellers upon their individual axes and for maintaining the equilibrium of said propellers to prevent rotation of said individual axes about said shaft, and said aeroplane structure comprising said four planes adapted for rotation-about said shaft and with respect to said individual axes, whereby said 7 planes may be disposed in alinement with said individual axes or may be moved into positions intermediate said axes.

4. The combination with elongated supporting planes extending radially, from a common axis and a pivot rod longitudinally of said axis, said planes having openings adjacent to said rod, an e erators basket fixed to the rod and suspen ed therefrom within the area of said openings whereby the planes may swing laterally with respect to the rod and basket, propelling means carried by the rod and operatlng within the area of said openings, means for" causing the ascent and t5.

have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.-

GEORGE M. ECKEN" a Witnesses: I 1

WILLIAM H. Mrunn, RUssELL- J. BURT. 

